The division is proud to announce that Leslie V. Kurke, professor of ancient Greek and Roman studies and comparative literature, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a prestigious honor that recognizes exceptional scholars, artists, and leaders across diverse fields.
Since its founding in 1780, the American Academy has honored excellence and convened leaders from various disciplines to address the nation’s challenges and advance the “interest, honor, dignity, and happiness of a free, independent, and virtuous people.” The Academy’s newest members, including Kurke, have distinguished themselves in academia, the arts, industry, policy, research, and science.
Kurke is internationally recognized for her research in ancient Greek literature and cultural history. Her current work focuses on ancient Greek chorality, exploring the intersections between fifth- and fourth-century prose writers such as Herodotus, Plato, Xenophon, and Aristotle, and older Greek poetic texts. Her book-in-progress examines the central role of choral performance in ancient Greek society as a means of forging community, both with the gods and among performers and spectators.
A distinguished scholar of archaic Greek poetry, Kurke's earlier books have examined topics such as the relationship between Greek literature and its cultural context, the constitution of ideology through material practices, and the interactions between performed poetry and architectural space. Her research has expanded our understanding of how the ancient Greeks used choral performance as a metaphor for societal organization, from hierarchical politics to egalitarian models of cooperation.
Academy President Laurie L. Patton praised the accomplishments of the new members, saying, “These new members’ accomplishments speak volumes about the human capacity for discovery, creativity, leadership, and persistence. They are a stellar testament to the power of knowledge to broaden our horizons and deepen our understanding.”
Read the press release here and learn more about Leslie Kurke's work here.